Chapter 54

"......So, the cautious one didn’t come, did they?"

More than two months later, the large ship arrived at the largest desert nation in the western Blue Sea, Sabesi, and docked at the largest port, Salaran. After docking, the ship's crew began unloading the cargo, while Hao Qi and Zhang Heng followed the government special agents who had also been hiding on the ship to the government office of the Heavenly Kingdom in Salaran. There, they met an elderly officer.

The elderly officer muttered a few words with a hint of regret, then stood up and clasped his fists to Hao Qi, saying, "I am General Wang Fu of the Heavenly Kingdom's special forces. Mr. Hao Qi, in two months, you will return to the Heavenly Kingdom. At that time, we will still need your assistance. Thank you for your trouble."

Hao Qi also clasped his fists and asked curiously, "Do you know me?"

Wang Fu smiled and said, "Yes, your information was handed over to me with the fleet, so I know about some of your deeds. As long as the Blue Sea Shadow Pirate Group appears, I believe you can destroy them."

Hao Qi smiled, not saying much, and asked, "So, can I freely use these two months? For example, I want to explore this desert nation of Sabesi."

Wang Fu laughed and said, "Yes, the intelligence mentioned that you are a powerful Inner Force Realm practitioner who likes to travel. Therefore, there is already an order in the intelligence. Yes, you can freely use these two months, as long as you return to the port on time after two months. Also, we have already prepared ten million Sabesi currency, which is approximately six million Heavenly Kingdom currency, as travel funds for your martial group. Of course, if you feel it is not enough, you can also exchange it with us, up to fifty million Heavenly Kingdom currency. Additionally, we will provide basic intelligence on Sabesi and language tutorial books. If you need it, we can also provide a translator, but that is up to you."

"Quite thorough..."

Hao Qi shook his head, not knowing what he was sighing about. Then he discussed with Zhang Heng and decided to exchange an additional fifty million Heavenly Kingdom currency, as they didn't know what might happen in these two months. It's better to be prepared, especially since Hao Qi's goal is to travel the world. After this trip, who knows if he will ever come back to Sabesi, so it's better to exchange some currency.

As for the translator, the two had a bit of an argument. Hao Qi didn't want a translator because he planned to explore the desert, while Zhang Heng tried to stop him, not wanting him to enter the Death Desert and also hoping to bring a translator. In the end, since neither could convince the other, they decided to flip a coin. Hao Qi won, but after the flip, Zhang Heng suddenly remembered that Hao Qi is an Inner Force Realm practitioner. By channeling his inner force into his brain, the coin would seem almost stationary to him. He could see the result the moment the coin touched his hand, so he would never lose. Therefore... Hao Qi cheated!

Hao Qi ignored Zhang Heng's complaints, chuckled a few times, stuck out his tongue, and said to Wang Fu, "Then, General, we need to exchange an additional fifty million Heavenly Kingdom currency. Please provide us with basic intelligence on Sabesi and language tutorials. We don't need a translator. Thank you."

Thus, Hao Qi and Zhang Heng left the Heavenly Kingdom's office. Zhang Heng continued to complain along the way, while Hao Qi just kept chuckling. However, in his mind, he was recalling the intelligence about Sabesi.

Sabesi is the largest desert nation in the western Blue Sea region, with three coastal ports and nine inland oases. The entire country has twelve Inner Force Realm practitioners, with nine of them controlling the nine oases and the three strongest controlling the three ports. It is more of a loose alliance of twelve tribes that worship the Desert God.

This is the western Blue Sea, the harshest living environment in the Blue Sea region, the least suitable place for human survival. The social law here is survival first, and nothing else.

In the western Blue Sea, only the strong are respected. The strong should have everything. Relatively prosperous, the Sabesi desert nation, which occupies the most land, has some traces of a civilized society. For example, they understand that merchants should not be killed or easily plundered, that goods must be paid for, and that foreigners doing business should not be randomly taken as slaves or concubines. This is thanks to the continuous trade between the Heavenly Kingdom and other countries with Sabesi over the years, which has brought some semblance of civilization to Sabesi.

As for other desert nations, no, other desert tribes, they are truly survival-oriented. There, strength represents everything, as the stronger one can survive better. In those tribes, the strong have everything, and Inner Force Realm practitioners are natural tribal leaders. If there are two Inner Force Realm practitioners, they must fight to the death or one must leave. The surviving Inner Force Realm practitioner will be the strongest.

Additionally, to other tribes, everyone is an enemy, a slave, a concubine, or... food...

In the western Blue Sea region, there is no moral or ethical condemnation. The dead are either food or inedible, with no distinction between human and non-human. In some deep desert tribes, there are even human markets. According to the intelligence, the most expensive meat in these markets is infants, followed by children...

In the desert, the most precious thing is an oasis. The appearance of an oasis signifies the rise of a new tribe, and the disappearance of an oasis signifies the end of a tribe. There is nothing more precious than this.

Here... is a realm of the survival of the fittest, a realm where there are no other rules besides survival...

Of course, this is not as barren as people imagine. In the desert, there are large amounts of rare minerals and precious gems, and the gold reserves far exceed those in other regions of the Blue Sea. Even in terms of gold and gems alone, it surpasses the mineral-rich northern Blue Sea mountainous region. Therefore, many countries risk attacks by sea beasts and robberies by desert tribes to trade in the western Blue Sea region, all for the sake of profit.

All this intelligence was more or less within Hao Qi's expectations and understanding. He is not a saint, and although he is repulsed by the cannibalism mentioned in the intelligence, he does not plan to exterminate all the desert people he sees. The cannibalism in the desert is not about good or evil but about survival. Even the trading of infants and children is a means of survival, not a matter of morality. They are not cannibals by nature. Hao Qi is repulsed, and if he encounters such events, he will save the victims, but he will not condemn the desert people morally or exterminate them based on moral standards, as that goes against his principles.

The real intelligence that caught Hao Qi's attention was one piece...

According to the historical records of the various desert tribes, or ancient epics, and artifacts and weapons that have been unearthed, the western Blue Sea region was once a prosperous place with lush grass and a beautiful environment. In ancient times, there was an extremely advanced civilization here, possibly even surpassing all the countries in the eastern Blue Sea and many others...

In the desert sea of the western Blue Sea, there are numerous ancient ruins!

Super-civilization, ancient, and ruins!!!

Hao Qi was almost excited to the point of nosebleeds when he heard this intelligence. Zhang Heng, upon hearing it, immediately looked at Hao Qi with a "I knew it" expression. However, he didn't bother to persuade Hao Qi, as he knew that Hao Qi in this state would not listen to any advice. Nothing is more important than adventure, except perhaps the lives of those he cares about, like Zhang Heng himself. However, Zhang Heng would not use his life to threaten Hao Qi, as that is not what partners should do. After leaving the Heavenly Kingdom office, he began calculating the supplies needed for the desert adventure.

In the following days, the two began to purchase large amounts of supplies for the desert, such as the camel-like creatures of the western Blue Sea, the dromedaries. They bought six in total, along with large amounts of water, food, liquid fuel, heating materials, medicine, insect repellent, and so on.

One afternoon, while they were calculating the supplies they needed to buy and what the dromedaries could carry, Hao Qi's eyes suddenly lit up, and he shouted loudly.

"Su Shiyun! Su Shiyun!"

As Hao Qi shouted, a long-haired woman in a group of people far away suddenly turned her head, meeting Hao Qi's gaze.

Su Shiyun...

Appeared in the western Blue Sea!

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